Solderless lug type terminal connector



March 21, 1961 A. P. CHARBONNEAU EI'AL SOLDERLESS LUG TYPE TERMINAL CONNECTOR Filed June 3, 1958 SOLDERLESS LUG TYPE TEAL CONNECTOR Filed June 3, 1958, Ser. No. 739,502

1 Claim. (Cl. 339-272) This invention relates generally to solderless lug type terminal devices, and more particularly to improvements in adapter inserts for such wiring devices.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a solderless lug type wiring terminal device which afiords proper clamping of a much greater range of sizes of conductor wires than has been possible with known forms of solderless lug type wiring terminal devices of this general character as heretofore constructed.

Another object is to provide a solderless lug type wiring terminal device of the aforementioned character which is particularly well adapted for use'in conjunction with the wiring terminal elements of a known form of grid type resistors of the unbreakable stainless steel type, as illustrated herein.

Another and more specific object is to provide a solderless lug type wiring terminal device of the character herein disclosed, wherein wire sizes through 2 may be properly clamped with our improved adapter insert assembled with respect to the wiring terminal; whereas with said adapter insert removed said wiring terminal device is adapted to provide for proper clamping of wire sizes 1 through 4/0, thus substantially increasing the range of utility of solderless lug type terminals of this general type.

Another object is to provide for use of a solderless States Patent lug type terminal of the character herein contemplated for use upon, or in conjunction with, any one of a group of supporting tangs formed on a stainless steel resistor terminal of novel form.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide for convenient interconnection of resistor boxes, or units, of widely varying current carrying capacity.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view on a reduced scale of a known form of stainless steel unbreakable grid resistor bank, having our improved form of wiring terminal devices attached to the opposite end portions of the resistor bank.

Fig. 2 is a full scale side elevational view of one of the solderless lug adapter type terminals shown in Fig. 1, the clamped end of a relatively large gauge terminal wire being shown in cross section.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary exploded view, in perspective, of certain of the Wiring terminal connector parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 4 is an elevational vieW of a wiring terminal assembly like that illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 with a single solderless lug adapter, of the character herein disclosed, associated therewith at the left-hand side thereof; it being understood that a second solderless lug adapter assembly might be attached thereto at the right-hand side thereof.

As shown in Fig. 1, the resistor bank preferably includes a spaced pair of punched and stamped sheet metal frame parts or end members 5 and 6, which may serve as a support for the unit as a whole; the punched sheet metal, such as stainless steel, unbreakable resistor grids 7 and 8 of the group illustrated fragmentarily being clamped in series conductive zigzag relationship to each other, but in insulated relationship to the metal supporting frame parts aforementioned, as by means of the sectional perforated insulating members 9 and 10 and metal rods 11; the opposite ends of which rods are attached in any suitable manner to said end members 5 and 6, respectively, as by means of threaded connections between said parts.

The flange portions of said members 5 and 6 are preferably notched as shown at 5a and 6a in Fig. 1 to provide for attachment of the assembly as a whole to a suitable support as by means of suitable bolts and nuts (not shown).

As shown in Fig. 1, the extreme right-hand resistor element 7 and the extreme left-hand resistor element 8 each have clamped thereto in conductive relationship a wiring terminal element 12 forming a part of our complete combination. Said wiring terminal element 12 is preferably punched and stamped from a sheet of stainless steel; the relatively large flat portion 12a of which element is provided with a circular opening 12b to accommodate a correspondingly shaped extension on the insulating member 10 adjacent thereto to insulate or to assist in insulating said terminal element 12 from the lowermost rod 11 aforementioned. Like wiring terminal elements may be attached to the upper or lower ends of other of said resistor elements.

Member 12, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, is bent to extend laterally and downwardly at a predetermined angle at 12c, then inwardly and downwardly at. substantially a right angle at 12d, and the specially formed reduced lower end portion 12 is bent to extend inwardly at substantially a right angle to the plane of the aforementioned upper end portion 12a thereof; said portion 12 having like rectangular notches formed in opposite sides thereof, one of said notches being shown at 12m in Fig. 2.

Either or both of the arms 12 and 12g, Fig. 4, of member 12 may have attached thereto a three-part solderless lug type wiring terminal assembly like that shown, the parts of which are respectively designated generally by the numerals 13, 14 and 15 in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Thus, assuming that a solderless lug type wiring terminal device of the character herein disclosed requires an adapter insert 15 of the aforementioned type to alford a proper electrical connection of a given size of wire within the aforementioned range of 10 through 2, it is to be understood that the cut and die-formed tubular element 13 thereof is shaped, as best illustrated in Fig. 3, with a flat wall portion 13a which is centrally perforated to pro- I vide an inwardly extending tubular formation 13b, the interior of which formation 13b is threaded to accommodate the threaded shank 14a of a clamping bolt 14 of known form.

As best illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the outermost end of each arm 12 and 12g is of greater width than the main body portion of the same and is partially separated from said main body portion thereof as by means of the pair of alined laterally opening notches 12h and 121'. i

As illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, said tubular member 13 is so formed as to provide the integrally connected outwardly angled meeting wall portions and 13d of known form. Preferably the outer surfaces of wall portions 130 and 13d are provided at the midlength thereof respectively with alined indentations Be and 13 (Fig. 3); which indentations are so produced as to provide correspondingly shaped inward projections (not shown) on the inner surfaces of said wall portions 130 and 13d. Said inward projections are alined with a pair of indentations 15a and 15b formed in the respective outer surfaces of the angled wall portions 150 and d of said adapter member 15. The length of said adapter member 15 preferably corresponds exactly with the length of said tubular member 13, as best illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. Members 13 and 15 are preferably formed of copper of like degrees of hardness and conductivity.

In assembling the parts of'our improved solderless lug wiring terminal connector with our wide range wiring adapter insert, as shown herein, for attachment to a terminal arm member like that shown at 12 in Fig. 3, the tubular copper member 13 is turned or tilted at a right angle to the position thereof shown in Fig. 3 to permit free insertion thereof toward the left over the enlarged end or shoulders 12 and 12k of said arm 12 Member 13 is then turned manually in the opposite direction through an angle of ninety degrees to a position corresponding to that shown in said Pig. 3 whereupon the adapter member 15 may be manually inserted into member 13 toward the left until the downwardly extending parallel arms 15e and 15f thereof drop, with a fairly close fit, into the respective side notches 1211 and Hi formed in the outer end portion of said stainless steel terminal element 12 Thereupon a bared wire end like that shown at 16 in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 may be inserted between the flat intermediate portion 12 of said stainlesssteel terminal element and the angularly arranged inner surfaces of the rearwardly extending portions 15c and 15d of the adapter member 15. Thus, as indicated in Fig. 3, the entire length of the bared end portion 16 of the insulated wire 16a may be interposed between the terminal portion 12 and said adapter 15, to afford a good electrical connection therebetween by mere 1y tightening the bolt 14 to clamp all of said parts in proper relationship to each other.

With the parts assembled as aforedescribed, with said adapter included, wire sizes within the size range of 10 through 2 may be properly and effectively clamped in conductive relationship to a terminal portion like that designated by the numeral 12 aforementioned.

:If it is desired to clamp a wire within the aforementioned range of 1 through 4/0, this may be accomplished by merely removing or omitting the adapter member from the assembly.

We claim:

In a solderless type connector for a terminal element including a tubular member interfitting with a reduced portion of the terminal element and having' a V-shaped wall at one side and a clamping screw extending through a wall opposite thereto and engaging said reduced portion of the terminal element to slide said member transversely of said terminal element to removably retain an electrical conductor therebetween, the improvement comprising an adaptor for extending the range of sizes of conductors which may be secured and retained in place on the reduced portion of the terminal element by said tubular member, said adaptor comprising a generally V-shaped member seating against the inside of the V-shaped wall of said tubular member and having parallel depending legs at one end thereof fitting within notches in the sides of said reduced portion of the terminal element to Prevent longitudinal movement therebetween, and said tubular member and said adaptorhaving complemental interfitting projections and recesses formed on their engaging surfaces to prevent longitudinal movement therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

